Bloomfield :Featured Stories

Based on a recent experiment in D.C., we set out to see how many people on our streets would respond to a simple greeting. In D.C. it was a paltry 12%. We knew Pittsburgh would do better, but by how much? Find out how we did and why it matters. Then try it for yourself.

Are stores that sell music a thing of the past? What would be lost if these cultural spaces were no more, if a kid’s entrance into the community of music was merely a message board? To find out more, this writer stopped by three independent Pittsburgh music stores, still at it despite predictions of their demise.

From the venerable East End brews to the newer and impressive Full Pint beers, we toast the breweries that are raising the bar, so to speak, when it comes to craft beer in our region. Here's the guide to who's brewing what, from hoppy IPAs to spiced dark ales and much more.

The Strip District could use a pharmacy. Mt. Lebanon is in need of a Thai restaurant. Lawrenceville lacks two kinds of essential businesses. Read on to learn what our most walkable neighborhoods are missing when it comes to rounding out a robust business district. Where there's a need, there's opportunity. Any takers?

You know the kind of place. You walk in and feel at home even if it's your first visit. Pittsburgh has more than its share of welcoming neighborhood bars, from the Park House to Legume. Andrew Moore, our development news editor, profiles some of the best, just in time for your holiday visit with friends.

Want to make a difference this holiday season? Give a gift to Pittsburgh and support your local, independent shops. You'll help boost our neighborhoods and contribute to the overall vitality of our city. And it's fun when you have this great guide to cool stores in town.

What's the best thing a city can do to achieve more economic success? Increase its number of college graduates. The most prosperous cities have the highest number of college grads. Read how the Talent Dividend calculates just how much college degrees add to a city's bottom line--think billions--and why Pittsburgh is one of 57 cities competing for the million dollar prize to boost college attainment.

When they said they would sample up to 10 burgers, they didn't say they would do it all in one day. Read the entertaining story from this adventurous duo, watch their hilarious video then comment on your own favorite--or one of theirs. From Hidy's to Eleven, it's quite a romp.

Pittsburgh's street art scene is vibrant, from Andy Warhol flowers as window dressing to yarn bombs on parking meters and bike racks and tin can art on street poles. Just as we were about to ask what's next, a sweater for the Mr. Rogers statue?, a red sweater appeared.

Giving kids a voice is what the Hear Me project is all about and now those youth voices can be heard all over Pittsburgh. From tin cans that you tip to hear stories to storyboxes, it's letting kids have a powerful say. And in some cases, it's already changing things for the better.

It's the hub of a community, shaping and defining it, attracting visitors or...not. Main streets, once the focal point of every community, were neglected for decades with the growth of suburbs. But now they're the star of walkable neighborhoods and Pittsburgh boasts plenty, from Mt. Washington to Bloomfield. Why are they so important? And why should you frequent them instead of the mall? We'll tell ya!

In a city once known for iron and steel making, John Walter continues the tradition with a modern take on organic iron that is his signature. This Pittsburgh blacksmith is forging remarkable works of art from iron that are displayed everywhere from Phipps Conservatory to private homes to his studio, Iron Eden.